Skip to Content

The Arts Intel Report

A Knock on the Roof

Khawla Ibraheem, the writer, director, and performer of A Knock on the Roof.

79 E 4th St, New York, NY 10003, United States

Mariam knows the drill. When the Israeli army drops small bombs on rooftops in Gaza, it’s a warning: it means a larger rocket strike will follow in under 15 minutes. Every day, Mariam rehearses for the moment. She sets a timer, prepares meals for her son Noor and her mother, packs their bags, evacuates the house. At first, it’s a game. But Mariam gradually begins unraveling under the grim pressure. Written and performed by Khawla Ibraheem, this gripping solo show offers an intimate window into life during war. Ibraheem was an artist-in-residence at the Sundance Theatre Lab when she met the show’s director, Oliver Butler, who has since become a longtime collaborator. —Jeanne Malle

Photo Courtesy of the New York Theatre Workshop